Chile: Contradictions arise as companies ask for leniency

Swedish paper multinational SCA, which has been accused of taking part in a massive price-fixing scheme affecting Latin America’s tissue paper market, has handed over a set of documents laying out it’s arguments for justifying their alleged collusion with Chile’s CMPC. Both companies have tried to approach authorities seeking leniency deals in exchange for revealing information on the deal.

The documents delivered by SCA have already proved inconsistent with the testimony of CMPC Tissue’s former general manager, Jorge Morel, as well as with statements by other company executives. Among the contested facts is the date in which the agreement was reached, with Morel claiming an early 2000 date while SCA has argued that CMPC Tissue and PISA (bought by SCA) had agreed on price-fixing starting in 2006 through 2013.

SCA’s statement also claims that “the agreement was organized, monitored and managed by CMPC, which coerced SCA into accepting the deal and into retaining its market share so as to fulfil its given role within it.” The Swedish company also faces antitrust issues in Ecuador, Spain, Poland and Hungary.

Source: El Mostrador

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